


The Blue Rose

by TrinesRUs



Series: Chasing Dani [2]
Category: Transformers: Rescue Bots
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fairy Tale Retellings, Story within a Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-20
Updated: 2014-09-20
Packaged: 2018-02-18 03:55:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2334365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrinesRUs/pseuds/TrinesRUs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On a pleasant day together, Chase and Dani dream a fairy tale.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Blue Rose

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Blue Rose](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/74348) by Maurice Baring. 



> There is going to be a more formal sequel to Unexpected Reaction soon, but consider this a calm, fluffy interlude before we jump back into angst.

            Even after the pain of them stops, Chase’s weld marks stick out on his plating.

           Some days, Dani strokes a hand over them with a distant, guilty look. Those days hurt more than the wounds. Those days, he always tries a little harder to remind her that he is alive and happy and that she has nothing to feel guilty for.

            Some days, she trails kisses over as much of his scars as her tiny human form can reach. Those days are much nicer. Those days, he leans back and gives her an extra boost so she may reach more of him.

            Most days, though, they ignore them completely. Or, perhaps, they are still aware of them, but they do not dare to break the peace by drawing attention to them.

            This is one of those days and a particularly nice one. Dani is perched on his shoulder while he sits at an oversized chair. She reads to him from an old storybook, something she calls a collection of “Fairy Tales.” None of these tales appear to be told from the perspective of fairies, nor do fairies appear in all of the tales included. Nevertheless, he resolves to refrain from questioning until the end of this session, happy to simply enjoy their time together.

            But right in the middle of reading him a tale of a princess giving unwanted suitors an impossible task to complete, Dani falls asleep. Chase refuses to move and wake her when she clearly needs her rest. He is content to monitor her breaths until he, too, falls into recharge.

~----------~

            _The nobleman Charles Burns was known throughout the land for his wealth and benevolence. His three sons and one daughter were also quite well-regarded in the kingdom of Griffin Rock._

_And because, in the land of fantasy, all well-regarded women are required to find themselves a suitable husband, it was not long before the beautiful, courageous, adventurous daughter of Lord Burns, Lady Dani, attracted a number of suitors. Some sought her for her own virtues, some for her father’s wealth, and some for sport. She was disgusted by most of them._

_Lord Burns turned many of these suitors away at the door, as Lady Dani had already expressed disinterest in meeting any man she had not first approached, invited, or encountered at an outside event. The whole family attempted to ignore or discourage the rumors that spread because of her stubborn streak—a trait that was quite useful for her daily duties but that many would turn their noses up at in a wife. But as time passed, unrest amongst the people began to build and trust in the noble family began to wane._

_At last, Lord Burns could no longer stand it, and he approached his daughter to discuss the issue. “Dani, you know I like to let you make your own decisions, but they’re getting pretty insistent. Now, I’m not telling you to choose someone you don’t love just to stop them, but maybe you should at least agree to meet some of the men who show up here.”_

_She did not wish to. The suitors that gathered wanted to marry her without knowing a thing about her but her looks and reputation. Dani always hoped that if she married at all, it would be for love and not politics._

_She knew her father understood that, but she also knew that societal pressure could be greater than personal desires. She could hate them and try to fight them, but it would risk her family’s standing in the process. With this understanding, then, she reluctantly agreed._

_However, before she saw the suitors, she asked for one promise. “I get to set a condition. Any man hoping to marry me has to complete a task of my choosing or give up.”_

_Lord Burns regarded his daughter warily. “If it’s nothing dangerous, I think I can trust your judgment. What kind of task?”_

_“I will only marry someone who will bring me a blue rose,” she said._

_The nobleman shook his head but agreed. He knew the task to be impossible, or well-enough near it. His daughter had always been headstrong. Even then, he found fondness in it and could not help but accept her idea, especially considering how she was being forced into this situation. Lord Burns even allowed his daughter to make the announcement herself._

_Many men gave up at the mere sound of the task. A blue rose? How could such a thing even exist? But not all of them were daunted, and those who believed they could complete the task set out at once upon it._

_Among the more confident suitors, there was the knight Sir Taylor. He rode a mighty Pegasus out into the wide world in search of the blue rose. He looked high and low and asked many he met along the way for assistance, but none had ever seen such a flower. Disappointed, he returned to Griffin Rock._

_But he could not give up. He thought that, perhaps, the search was not meant to be for a literal flower. Instead, perhaps the blue rose could be representative of that flower._

_Sir Taylor found the best potter in the land and commissioned a vase with a blue rose painted on it. The potter set to work immediately, and when it was completed, he presented the knight with the finest vase ever seen. It was elegant and simple but had the most stunningly beautiful and realistic blue rose painted on its round, smooth body, thorny stem wrapping all the way around the base. It was so enchanting that he was certain his marriage to Lady Dani was secured._

_When he was let into the castle of Lord Burns, he was asked, “Do you have the blue rose?”_

_“I do,” he said with such confidence that even Lady Dani believed it._

_She beckoned him forward. “I’ll be the judge of that.”_

_As he came closer, she could not help but think that he was handsome. And his reputation was that of someone very brave and very kind. That in mind, she decided that it would not be a shame if he truly was to marry her._

_It was almost a disappointment, then, when he pulled out a vase instead of the rose. She took it in her hands and nearly lost her breath. The workmanship was exquisite. “This is beautiful, but it’s not the blue rose,” she said sadly. “If you would allow me, I would like to keep this to place the real blue rose in once it’s found.”_

_Sir Taylor shared a forlorn look with her. Then, he nodded. He would accept his failure and hope that whoever found the rose would be worthy of her. “Keep it. I request only one honor in return.” He took her hand in his and kissed it. After that, he left without a protest._

_That night, Lady Dani wandered the halls alone, lost in thought. She very nearly bumped into a giant metal foot when she turned a corner without paying attention. The owner of the foot, her father’s work partner, knelt and looked cautiously over her. “Lady Dani, are you alright? Have I unintentionally harmed you?”_

_“No, I’m fine,” she said. “Just wasn’t watching where I was going. Sorry if I worried you, Chase.” She grinned without realizing she was doing so, but there was no reason why she should not be. Her father and Chase had been working law enforcement together for years, and Chase and three other metal giants lived in the higher-ceilinged portions of the castle. They were very familiar with one another._

_“It is all right.” He was never very expressive, but the subtleties of his face told her that he was still slightly concerned despite her words—or perhaps because of them. “Is something on your mind? Is there anything I can do to assist you?”_

_“Probably not. It’s just—” She huffed. Words temporarily failed her._

_Chase waited patiently. He never once prompted her to continue. He merely remained kneeling and listened, allowing her to continue as she felt necessary or excuse herself if she decided she would rather not speak a word._

_It gave Dani the sense of security in speaking freely. “I’m feeling a little guilty over the task I’ve set for my suitors. Some of them are bound to be great guys like Sir Taylor, and I’m turning them all away over this stupid impossible requirement.”_

_For a few moments, Chase remained still in thoughtful silence. “Some of them may be indeed worthy companions, but not all, and those who are ‘worthy’ are not all going to earn your love. In my culture, bonds like this are rarer and certainly not expected, so forgive me if my judgment is impeded, but I believe that your happiness in a bond should be nonnegotiable.”_

_She smiled at his words. “Thank you, Chase.”_

_Elsewhere, there was another suitor—a warrior, though one not as well known or liked as Sir Taylor—named Milo who was making his own, slower world-search for the blue rose. Unlike Sir Taylor, who used his charm to get information, Milo used his military might._

_When he caught a rumor of a smaller kingdom having possession of the blue rose, he charged in and threatened the ruler to give it to him or he would slay all the kingdom’s elite. Because the kingdom was so small, they could not afford any fight. The king handed over a large sapphire carved into the shape of a rose with little hesitation._

_But Milo would not stop bragging about his success throughout his journey back to the kingdom of Griffin Rock. Two thieves in a tavern he stopped at overheard him speaking of the jewel’s beauty and value in the task of earning a noblewoman’s hand._

_“One gem is a nice paycheck for us, bro, but imagine what we could do with a noble’s wealth and status.” Myles whispered to his twin. Evan chuckled evilly, then grumbled something only his brother could understand, to which Myles responded, “Sounds about perfect.”_

_The plan was that they would steal the gem and then have Myles present it to Lady Dani. When Myles married the noblewoman, Evan would become his advisor. They would continue their schemes after that, but they thought they were always meant to steal on a much grander scale. What better cover than the Burns family’s near-flawless reputation?_

_Stealing from Milo was the easiest theft they had ever pulled. For all the man’s boisterous fighting, drinking, and bragging, he slept very soundly. They were able to slip right into his room and take it from the sack on his belt without fuss._

_The crowd in the Burns’ home the next morning was all astir when the twins showed up. It was clear from their dress that they were very low class. The very idea that they would consider themselves worthy of appearing amongst the nobility was shocking._

_Though others rejected them on class, Lady Dani greeted them and said, “My only rule for suitors is that they bring me a blue rose. If either of these two have it, then nothing else matters.” However, she was hoping they had failed. She would not judge on class, but there was an evil look to these men, a quality that was almost tangible in their auras._

_She held her breath as Myles stepped forward, then breathed a sigh of relief when he presented her with a sapphire. “This isn’t the blue rose, just a jewel carved to look like one. It’s beautiful, but I have no use for another jewel when I have so many already.”_

_Myles and Evan left the castle disappointed. “Well, at least we have this, and now that we’ve seen inside those halls, maybe we could—”_

_Before the more vocal of the twins could finish voicing his thought, both of them were slammed against the nearest wall. They looked up into the enraged eyes of Milo. “You have taken from me that which would have given me my rightful place by Lady Dani’s side!”_

_“We_ tried _giving her the sapphire. It didn’t work.” Myles faked a sympathetic look, and Evan followed his lead. “We’re really sorry we tried to take your place, sir, and now we have been laughed off from ever trying again. Alas, only now we know the_ real _way to get a blue rose, and we can never use it.” Evan nodded sadly._

_“What way is that?”_

_“Oh, we can do better than tell you our methods. For a small fee and just a few days’ time, we can_ give _you the blue rose itself.”_

_Milo slammed them both against the wall again. “You would steal from me a second time!?”_

_“No, no,” said Myles, panicking for what feels like the first time in his life. “You can come with us and watch what we do and make sure we can’t run off until we’ve fulfilled our end of the deal.” Evan nodded enthusiastically._

_“Fine,” Milo agreed, released them. “But I refuse to pay you until I know what you plan to do.”_

_The twins led him away to the closest thing they had to a home. They cut a white rose from a bush they passed along the way. Then, Evan set to work mixing chemicals in a pot. When he was finished, he poured the mixture into a vase and put the white rose inside. Within a few days, the dye worked its way up the stem and turned the rose blue. Milo took the blue rose and paid them for their trouble._

_Away at the Burns’ residence, the youngest of the noble family rushed in to the area where the metal giants lived. “Guys, did you hear about what Dani said about her suitors?”_

_“Was it another comment about the expectation for women to marry for political reasons or something about Sir Taylor’s hair?” asked Blades. “Because, seriously, I have heard more than enough for a lifetime, and considering how long-lived we are…”_

_“No,” Cody replied. “She said her only condition for suitors is that they bring a real blue rose. Her_ only _condition,” he emphasized._

_Catching on, Heatwave looked very pointedly over at Chase. The giant in question had paused in his examination of the bookshelf at Cody’s words. Blades, not immediately aware of the implications, asked, “What are you getting a—oh.” He chuckled when he saw where the others were looking._

_Chase cleared his vocalizer. “Well, it is pleasant to know that she’s finding a degree of freedom. I hope whomever she finds will build a fulfilling life with her and—”_

_“I think you’ll want a botany book,” Heatwave interrupted._

_The two remaining giants laughed as Chase excused himself from the room. Cody couldn’t help but smile a little, too. While the law-enforcer was good at hiding most of his emotions, some of them were all too obvious._

_How could those three make implications like that? He had great affection for Lady Dani, yes, but he found the courtship methods to be quite strange. As he had told Dani herself, he wished first and foremost for her happiness. He wished that she would marry someone she loved. She should not have to be forced to be with him just because he presented her with a rose._

_In his attempt to escape embarrassment, Chase did not think about where he was heading, and he found himself stumbling into the garden. Boulder was there attending Leafy and some flowers nearby._

_The green giant greeted him and motioned him over. Chase made his way over slowly, careful not to tread on any of the plants. “I have something amazing to show you,” Boulder said, leading his friend further into the garden._

_By the time the third suitor actually arrived, Lady Dani was bored and slightly glum. She started to examine the ceilings, particularly the crystal portion just above her that allowed light to filter into the room. She wondered if light could shine through there and reflect color off of something onto something else, like blue light onto a white rose._

_When she returned her attention to Milo, he was finally wrapping up his lengthy speech. She just wanted him to hand over the rose already, and she would just have to hope it was as wrong as the others. To her despair, he presented her with a small vial with a blue rose sticking out of it. She took it in her hands and, disbelieving, looked it over around and around._

_Just as she was about to resign herself to her fate of marrying a proud, loud warrior, a drop leaked from the side of the vial. She noticed at once that it was blue. She pulled the flower out and looked at its stem. It was darker than natural. “This isn’t a blue rose,” she announced loud enough for all to hear. “This is a white rose that has been dyed blue.”_

_Milo seethed, but before he could take further action, he was ushered out by the crowd. Lady Dani let relief wash over her. From the looks of things, his temper was such that she would never wish him to become a husband for anyone._

_With the last two suitors being who they were, she was beginning to doubt her decision to speak to any of them at all. She knew it was for the sake of her family, but it felt wrong. She could not help remembering Chase’s words about her happiness being the most important factor._

_In fact, she could not help thinking that she would be very happy with Chase. She knew him much better than any of the other men who had shown up; he gets along well with her family, obviously; and—if she was being very honest with herself—she felt very warm towards him. He knew her favorite routes out of the castle and when not to report her absence, and she knew his favorite guilty pleasures. He was brave and compassionate and, yeah, okay, his humor could use a little work, but he was reliable and always had more going on under the surface than anyone outside her family probably realized._

_But trying to acclimate to this revelation of her feelings is difficult. It had been there all along, but there was a difference between having feelings and being able to recognize and accept them. New knowledge puts everything into new light. Besides, her loving him does not inherently mean he loves her._

_As she sat, thinking it all over, the crowd parted wide. The giants were entering, Chase at the head of them all. He knelt before her and cleared his vocalizer. He seemed nervous in that way which only those who knew him well would notice. “Lady Dani, if you would allow me, I wish to present a token of my affection.”_

_His hand that had been curled very loosely then extended and uncurled, revealing a blue rose. Dani could hardly believe her eyes. She was hoping too much. Had she not been thinking earlier about how light from the crystal above could reflect blue—his blue paint—onto a white rose and deceive the eyes?_

_She wanted so much to believe that what was happening was happening, she almost just announced that he had won right then. He had already won her heart, and she now knew that she had his (or his species’ equivalent) in return. But she wanted them to be joined on a policy of honesty and trust, and so she took the rose from him and examined it under different light._

_To her delight and surprise, while the flower was not as deep a blue away from him, it was still a very pale, delicate blue. When she turned back to the crowd, it was with a grin. “This is it. This is a blue rose.” She held it high for all to see._

_She was surprised to see Chase hang his helm, but his next words made his reasoning clear. “Please do not feel obligated to bond with me over this gift. I still wish that you might find someone you love deeply and be with them. The intent of my action is only that I might be honest about my feelings for you and—”_

_“And what if I_ do _want to marry you?” she asked, cutting him off. “What if I don’t feel obligated? What if I feel relieved that you succeeded because I love_ you _deeply?” The corner of her eyes crinkled as Blades made some comment about knowing all along._

_Chase seemed surprised into silence for a minute. Then, stammering a little, he replied, “Then I would be most honored to spend life by your side.”_

_And though their union brought some shock to the land, all was accepted with time. The two did make a happy couple, and they lived a beautiful life together. Danger always seemed to lurk on the horizon, but they had long accepted it as a fact of life, and at least their love for one another and their family was ever stable._

~----------~

            Chase awakes hours later with a deep feeling of calm and restfulness. Dani wakes up about the same time, smiling a sweet smile that sends his spark aflutter.

            She yawns and then giggles a little. “You wouldn’t believe the dream I just had…”


End file.
